[Archived] Stop! Sambatime.

[daveoftherovers]

Bucky, for many season the biggest threat from corners has been the opposition breaking out and scoring against us, I've lost count how many times over the years that has happened to us.

The delivery from corners has been woeful lately (From both sides of the pitch and by 3/4 different players)

The only valid point you make is that 1 in 7 from MGP are actually "On the money" and everyone else scores zero !

What's the point in having a corner if you don't beat the 1st defender in 6 of the 7, may as well kick it out for a throw and pressurise them without getting done on the counter.

We are slightly better than last year on corners in that there is at least some movement in the box and the perception of a threat as 3/4 big lads deploy from the back but have any actually hit the target lately??

My money's on Samba for the 1st one that does in whats left of the season!

[only2garners]

Did Scott Sellars once do it?

Well done that man. 28th October 1989 away at Plymouth in a 2-2 draw. There was a serious gale blowing and the corner got to the near post, hit a gust and almost turned a right angle to go in.

[Martin]

Samba looked against Sheff Utd on the whole. Despite being at fault for the goal his huge legs really do make a difference and he'snot slow either.

In terms of MGP's corners I will have to beg to differ to the majority on here. It matters not who takes the corner as there is no such thing as a good corner or cross, there is however such a thing as a good run and it is the latter that makes goals.

Hopefully, Samba can watch some clips of Vidic attacking corners. If he can learn to do that he will be an awesome threat.

For someone so young Samba represents a real find. Ooijer is/was the ducth captain and took 2 months to settle. So give the Samba man time and he will flourish.

[AggyBlue]

It matters not who takes the corner as there is no such thing as a good corner or cross,

What

[gazsimm]

What

i am very happy we have purchased Samba he looks like he is going to be a very good player for us and with him and Nelson at the back we now have a very good defence

[herbergeehh]

there is no such thing as a good corner or cross, there is however such a thing as a good run and it is the latter that makes goals.

I'm sorry, but that's rubbish. Of course it matters where the corner ends up, you can't expect the attacking players to cover every area in the box, and certainly not in shoulder height before the ball even reaches the first post. I agree that our players has the potential to improve on set pieces both ways, but to take away all the blame from Morten is just silly.

[speeeeeeedie]

It matters not who takes the corner as there is no such thing as a good corner or cross, there is however such a thing as a good run and it is the latter that makes goals.

Sorry Martin I have to disagree, if you put the ball in the right place it is much easier to score. Bentley's cross for MGP's first against City is a prime example, as is Kuqi's for MGP last season.

[arrodblue]

Well done that man. 28th October 1989 away at Plymouth in a 2-2 draw. There was a serious gale blowing and the corner got to the near post, hit a gust and almost turned a right angle to go in.

The old grey cells are getting foggier with each passing year but I'm reasonably certain that I saw John Lowey also score directly from a corner for Rovers at Notts County in the early 80s (in a 3-0 win) - anybody have a recollection of this?

[OJRovers]

On a related issue - myself and my friend think that Pederson would be more use in the box on corners, he's our best header of the ball and i'm sure bentley could swing it in as well as he does anyway.

[gumboots]

Best corner taker I ever saw was Bobby charlton. The corner used to appear to hang in the air waiting to be headed. Never seen anyone else get close to that standard.

[Martin]

I'm sorry, but that's rubbish. Of course it matters where the corner ends up, you can't expect the attacking players to cover every area in the box, and certainly not in shoulder height before the ball even reaches the first post. I agree that our players has the potential to improve on set pieces both ways, but to take away all the blame from Morten is just silly.

You may disagree but my point is not rubbish. What I'm trying to get across is that my point is, because Morten can plonk the ball in the top corner from a free kick everbody expects him to plonk the ball on an attacking head for a goal from every corner.

What I am not saying is that the corner taker is not important, what I'm trying to say (perhaps unsuccessfully) is that a cross or corner alone will not score a goal; it is the run that makes the goal.

Sorry Martin I have to disagree, if you put the ball in the right place it is much easier to score. Bentley's cross for MGP's first against City is a prime example, as is Kuqi's for MGP last season.

Now this is where we disagree and that's fine. There is no doubt that both the crosses you mention were fine crosses, however in my opinion it is the run from Morten in each example you use that makes the goal. Perhaps your examples are digressing somewhat as these examples are from open play.

I completely agree the ball has to be put into the right area, but whilst everyone is having a pop at Morten for his corner taking. I would personally award more blame to the players in the box for not attacking the ball with enough aggression, but that's just my preference.

[roversmum]

Martin's got a point here. Benni and Nonda have both recently failed to make runs that would have resulted in a cast iron goal. However, we've also had some magic crosses recently.

As for Chris Samba, he's a very exciting prospect, once we've had all the jokes about his height. He's young and eager and I thought he read the game very well.

[AggyBlue]

However, we've also had some magic crosses recently.

Yes we have, Bentley's been worth every penny

[blue phil]

On a related issue - myself and my friend think that Pederson would be more use in the box on corners, he's our best header of the ball and i'm sure bentley could swing it in as well as he does anyway.

Very good point . Pederson is our best header by a long way - it's very rare that he doesn't manage to get a flick-on either which makes him doubly useful in the box .

He could be even more useful if he could teach McCarthy how to jump off the ground ...

[78]

He's young and eager and I thought he read the game very well.

I thought he read the game well, there was a few times when he stepped infront of Hulse or Stead and got the ball before it reached them. Too many defenders these days watch the player and less of the ball and it's refreshing to see Samba be able to read the game, intercept, pass the ball to a teammate and then get back into position.

Also thought his distribution of the ball was quite good.

Was very pleased with his home debut and let's hope he continues to make progress.

[herbergeehh]

You may disagree but my point is not rubbish.

You are right, your point is not rubbish - but the sentence; "there is no such thing as a good corner/cross", in my opinion is. I agree with you on a whole, we don't have enough good runs into the box, but 75% of Morten's corners are not good enough.

[gazsimm]

You are right, your point is not rubbish - but the sentence; "there is no such thing as a good corner/cross", in my opinion is. I agree with you on a whole, we don't have enough good runs into the box, but 75% of Morten's corners are not good enough.

Morten aims to score from every corner i think thats were he is going wrong if he aims his corners either at Nelson or now big Samba i think he will get more joy.

But i can't knock Morten, lately he has been a best player along with Bentley and without him we might well just be struggling now

[3rdpillar]

Anyone seen any training sessions? Are we practising a new corner strategy. After all, to make room for a good header of the ball, a tall boy like Samba, will take the oppositions premier defender. Samba may not get his share of goals, but as a team we should be a position to score 1 in 4 / 5 of corners awarded, with at least 50% on target.

Not unreasonable, as soon as we gain sucess in this area, defences will allow us so much space....

This is what helps Croutch at Liverpool, untill managers realized he was crap and not too much of a threat.....

Come on ROVERS!, put the fear of loosing into the opposition....

Chris "the elevator" Samba

[joey_big_nose]

Anyone seen any training sessions? Are we practising a new corner strategy. After all, to make room for a good header of the ball, a tall boy like Samba, will take the oppositions premier defender. Samba may not get his share of goals, but as a team we should be a position to score 1 in 4 / 5 of corners awarded, with at least 50% on target.

I would say that even the best set piece teams only socre direct from 1 in 10 corners, if that.

[3rdpillar]

ok, a little fancyfull, BUT, the idea is making space for a good leaper and header of the ball like our Gamst. Samba will make that space.

So combining a few points here, Bentley to take, Samba as the foil ( sometimes target ), and Pederson to head it goal bound.

Looking forward to this......

[Fife Rover]

Best corner taker I ever saw was Bobby charlton. The corner used to appear to hang in the air waiting to be headed. Never seen anyone else get close to that standard.

You obviously have not read Nat Lofthouse's book about his experiences. In one chapter he discusses the relative merits of the corner takers he had played with in his career, and stated that Stan Mathews always gave him the ball exactly where he was standing at a perfect height for heading, but he just slightly preferred the delivery from Tom Finney because he did exactly the same but he always made sure the lace was turned away from his head!

[gumboots]

But Fife I did say the best I'd seen and I was only a babe in arms when Lofthouse was playing with Matthews and co. Getting on I am but I think you have a few years on me yet!

[newquayfan]

This fella looks the business, if ooijers injury is'nt already a career ender this fella's emergence definitely is! Not for 1 minute have i been confident in our defence when ooijer played, i now feel the defensive unit is by far the strongest part of our team! Hughes&Samba=Rabbits&Hats!

[Scotty]

One of the main reasons our defence has been so good recently is that we're playing Mokoena.

[tcj_jones]

I would say that even the best set piece teams only socre direct from 1 in 10 corners, if that.

I'd say that, in the premiership, even the best set piece taker in the world would fail to score more than once a season when shooting directly from a corner.